That’s why I’m thrilled to say that Real Change has completed our strategic plan for the next three years, and, to get all colloquial on you, it pretty much kicks ass.

We find ourselves living in a time of growing inequality and political polarization. As Seattle grows increasingly gentrified and — as a direct consequence — less diverse, local government has committed to ending homelessness within the next decade.

These contradictory realities form the context for our work. This plan is our best attempt to meet the challenges and opportunities offered at this difficult time. Our work over the next three years will build upon our strongest assets: the power of our unique advocacy niche and our vendor/reader relationships, our credibility as an activist community newspaper, and our authenticity as a voice of the poor.

New directions include regional expansion, development of a neighborhood-based organizing model, deepening the access our vendors have to services and other employment options, and building a stronger and more unified voice of the poor. We are committed to deepening our identity as a cross-class, multi-cultural organization, and this goal is expressed in each of the program areas as well as in the anti-bias aspect of the plan itself.

A preliminary version is ready for release and available on our wiki at realchange.wikispaces.com.